Group brings reggae flavour to Aus

AMERICAN reggae hip hop group Arrested Development touch down next month in what promises to be a fantastic follow up tour to their last visit in early 2011.

The band is celebrating the 20th anniversary of their first smash hit album 3 Years, 5 Months & 2 Days in the Life Of...

Front man Speech said although the group would not be visiting Coolangatta this time he hoped the song they wrote and dedicated to the beautiful area would encourage fans to come out and catch their show just north of the border.

Raga in Coolangatta is a tune the band released on their latest album Standing at the Crossroads.

Speech said there was no deep meaning behind the song and the group's guitarist JJ Boogie wrote the music in a Cooly hotel room.

"He named it before we even started writing the lyrics to it," he said.

"Then I started writing the lyrics and it's just a fun laid back song.

"There's no deep message it was just a fun track."

The popular group, well known for their hit tracks Everyday People and Mr Wendell first came to Australia in 1994.
"I love Australia," Speech said.

"Ever since that first tour its one of my favourite places to visit; it's got such a laid back feeling."

Speech even said he could not escape the Aussies with his neighbour in Atlanta being an Aussie herself.

"There's a fantastic vibe there and every time I come there it's just fantastic," he said.

The group are excited to get back to Oz and said fans can expect to see a lot of old stuff mixed in with the new.

"It will be a true celebration of our career," he said.

Their up-coming tour coincides with the released of the 13-track album Standing at the Crossroads.

As a gift to their fans Arrested Development has released the album online for free as a thank you and as an attempt to broaden their US audience.

"I think it's simply about exposing that audience to different music," he said.